Chapter 123: The Era of Lost Humanity
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123: The Era of Lost Humanity
“When do you plan to start the experiment?”
“I’ll start tomorrow. I’ll stop by the Martial Arts Hall in the morning and head straight to the Magic Tower.”
“Understood. Come after lunch. I’ll have the location ready.”
“Should I prepare the arrows and javelins?”
“That would be helpful. I rarely have a reason to buy weapons. I’ll cover the costs. Also, we’ll need a skilled archer to participate in the experiment.”
“An archer, huh?”
I searched my memory for any skilled archers I knew.
“Mmm. Sion.”
“Yes?”
“Tiny. That person is good with a bow.”
“Tiny?”
“Mhm. Olivia’s music teacher.”
“Ah!”
I remembered now. Tiny, the badger beastman. He was the string instrument craftsman from the Druid Club who handled Olivia’s lute lessons.
“Is he good with a bow?”
“Yes. He goes hunting as a hobby. He’s quite a good shot.”
“If he’s that good just doing it as a hobby, he must have talent.”
“Mhm. Very good.”
I thought about inviting him, but then I reconsidered. If I recalled correctly, the guy was incredibly shy and a total shut-in.
“Didn’t he say he hates expanding his social circle? From what I remember, he seemed a bit antisocial. Right?”
“Ah. You’re right. He is. Tiny is such a passive eccentric... He’d probably fall into a panic the moment he stepped into the Magic Tower.”
The Magic Tower was a den of nerds and notoriously exclusive toward outsiders. Bringing an antisocial eccentric there was a recipe for disaster.
“Hmm.”
“That won’t work then. It can’t be helped. Let’s use the golem I’m currently researching.”
“A golem?”
“Yes. It should be capable of the physical act of firing a bow. I can use this opportunity to try and increase the golem’s accuracy. We can also test the utility of the Subspace Pockets.”
“Mmm. Killing two birds with one stone might be a good idea.”
Conducting two experiments at once sounded like a solid plan.
But a golem, huh? I’d seen Earth Mages use them occasionally.
“Is it the type controlled directly by a caster?”
“No. It’s an autonomous golem powered by a magic stone. It responds immediately to simple commands. Of course, it still glitches if the commands are too complex or long, so it’s not quite ready for commercial use yet.”
“So it’s not perfectly autonomous.”
“You could say that.”
In short, its AI was lacking.
‘A golem is, in a way, the perfect vessel.’
If that was the case, I might be able to get a body for Roy from among the golems.
“I happen to have a top-tier AI on hand. Could I take a look at that golem?”
“AI? What’s that?”
“Artificial Intelligence.”
“Artificial Intelligence? Artificial... Intelligence. You mean an intellectually capable faculty created artificially. Ho. Don’t tell me...”
“Yes. It’s exactly what you’re imagining, Tower Lord.”
Mabel slapped her forehead as if she couldn’t believe it, then pointed a finger at me and shouted.
“You’ve completely lost your mind after hanging out with that Saintess!”
“What? What does the Saintess have to do with—”
“Most people lose their marbles after getting involved with that woman. They either become obsessed with extreme efficiency... or they lose their humanity entirely!”
“No, wait a second. You’re lecturing me on the loss of humanity? Should I go take a proper look at the test subjects in your lab?”
“....”
The Tower Lord fell silent the moment I mentioned checking her test subjects.
She was no different from the Saintess, so why was she talking trash behind her back?
Whether it was the Saintess or the Tower Lord, they had both tossed their humanity out the window long ago.
Then again, how many people in such high positions actually kept their humanity?
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Good grief...”
“What? Pot? Kettle? Are you calling me a pot? You—you’ve gone mad! You’re calling the Tower Lord a piece of kitchenware? Do you want to die?”
“No, it’s just an Eastern proverb. Forget it. Are we doing this or not?”
“Insolent brat.... Hmm. Bringing a golem into the realm of necromancy...”
“Necromancy? This is different from those mindless, low-life zombies.”
“Actually, once necromancy reaches a high enough level, you can summon the departed who are capable of conversation.”
“Regardless, I don’t think this is necromancy.”
“....If you put a soul into a golem, isn’t that a Soul Golem? That’s necromancy.”
“But I don’t inflict pain on the soul, do I? Doesn’t that make me better?”
“Decent necromancers don’t inflict pain on souls either...”
“And how many ‘decent’ ones are there?”
“The fallacy of generalization... though I suppose there are a lot of lunatics out there.”
The Tower Lord nodded as if conceding the point.
“But has no one ever tried to move a golem using necromancy before? I would’ve thought someone had.”
“Actually... there was one attempt. It failed. Golems cannot accept human souls. To begin with, there were hardly any necromancers capable of putting a soul into an artificial golem that isn't a living creature.”
“Aha.”
It seemed it was difficult to possess inorganic matter.
In that regard, I could be seen as clearly distinct from traditional necromancers.
“Fine. Let’s give it a try. Your technique seems different from conventional necromancy anyway.”
“Great. Do you want to go see Horaru too?”
“Mmm. I want to go home now. I want to rest. I’m hungry. I need a male... Hmph. I want to eat honey.”
“Understood. See you at the club next time.”
“Mhm. See you.”
We parted ways with Horaru and headed toward the Magic Tower.
Horaru seemed quite exhausted from communing with the crazy dragon. Or perhaps she was heading out to find a new suitor.
In any case, the Tower Lord and I decided to cancel our plans for tomorrow and head straight to the Magic Tower now.
“Oh, right. Should we buy the bow and arrows on the way?”
“That would be best. I don’t know much about weapon shops, so you lead the way.”
“Yes, yes.”
It was better to go fully prepared.
By the way, Roy was a warrior—did he even know how to use a bow?
‘Roy. Can you shoot a bow?’
—I’m no marksman, but I can manage. But really, into a golem’s body...
‘I’ll get you a proper human body later. For now, let’s work with the golem. It’s sturdy and useful.’
—Yes. That’s a promise.
‘Yeah. I promise. I’ll get one as soon as possible so you can see your mother.’
—You remembered my mother. Thank you. Truly, thank you.
Roy had said he had a mother to support.
That was why he so intensely desired the body of a living man. I knew well enough that he couldn't live as a golem forever. After all, no one would want to live as a golem. I would have to find him a human body sooner or later.
“Huh? You...”
“Ah. Oh, uh. Hello. It’s been a while?”
When I went to the weapon shop to buy arrows, I ran into the one person I wanted to avoid.
“Why? Who is that man?”
“Well...”
“You. Who is that woman next to you? To think you’d cheat... while leaving my sister behind... You absolute piece of trash. This is why commoners are hopeless.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
The man we ran into was Leah’s older brother, Leo Lionel.
As the eldest son of the House of Lionel, he was the man who had remained in the city to act as Leah’s watcher under the guise of doing business after she was disowned.
He doted on his sister excessively and despised me for having a ‘thing’ with her.
“Hmm. Wait, I think there’s a misunderstanding. This boy isn't my lover. To be precise... a test subject?”
“Hey, Mabel! Test subject?!”
“A test subject? What a mad city...! I heard there was hardly any humanity left here... Dammit. Hey, Porter. Have you become that woman’s slave? Then what about my sister, who has an interest in you? If anything happens to her because of you, I will never forgive you. I’ll kill you.”
“I said it’s not like that! Argh, this is driving me crazy. This person is the Tower Lord.”
“Huh? This person is the Tower Lord? The Witch of the Dark Moon?”
Leo’s expression showed he had no idea.
Well, it made sense. He probably had never seen the Tower Lord in person.
“What? You don’t know me?”
“How would I know that?”
“I’m the only beauty with blue hair and blue eyes around here.”
“Huh?”
Leo glanced at me as if asking if this woman was really the Tower Lord. I nodded back at him.
She was indeed the Tower Lord. Usually eccentric, prideful, and full of confidence... but the kind of woman whose inferiority complex exploded the moment Moira was mentioned. That was Tower Lord Mabel.
“Things are turning out interesting.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s nothing. Will you forgive this humble one’s slight for not recognizing the Tower Lord? I haven't lived in the city for very long.”
“Hmm. Were you an outsider?”
“I was. I came here to try my hand at business.”
“Are you a noble, by any chance?”
“A noble from outside the city.”
The Tower Lord scanned Leo from head to toe and then whispered to me.
“What is this man’s family name?”
“He’s the eldest son of the House of Lionel.”
“The House of Lionel from the Keislan Kingdom?”
“Yes.”
“Does he have a fiancée?”
“Not that I know of.”
“His age?”
“Mid-twenties? Late twenties? I don’t think he’s thirty yet.”
“Oho. He’s young.”
What was this? The look in the Tower Lord’s eyes shifted slightly.
“Hmm. I didn't expect a young noble to come all this way for business. Might I ask your name?”
“I am Leo Lionel. And the Tower Lord’s name is...”
“I am Mabel. I don’t have a surname. I was too lazy to take one.”
“I-is that so? Well now.”
Too lazy to take a surname? She really was a piece of work.
“Do you have a specific item you’re trying to sell?”
“I’m not sure yet. Most goods are already firmly controlled by the existing merchant associations. There’s hardly any room to squeeze in.”
“Hmm. Then, would you like to come to the Magic Tower? You might discover something new there.”
“The Magic Tower? I thought entry was impossible for non-mages...”
“I’m the Tower Lord.”
Mabel took great pride in being the Tower Lord and the greatest witch of the era, the Witch of the Dark Moon. She puffed out her chest, reasserting her social standing.
It was only natural that the eyes of every man in the shop momentarily gravitated toward her chest.
They were quite large, after all.
“Ahem. If it is your invitation, I shall gladly accept.”
“Porter, let’s take him with us.”
“Is it okay to decide that so easily?”
“It’s fine. As long as Male is there, most problems are solved.”
Even Malephina looked scared in front of Horaru during her mating season, though.
Well, since it was the Tower Lord’s permission, it would be rude to interfere further.
*
“So this is the Magic Tower. It’s true that it’s bigger on the inside than the outside.”
“Impressive, isn't it?”
“Indeed... Hey, stop acting friendly and getting so close to me.”
“When did I get close to you?! This is unfair! You’re the one who’s been sidling up next to me!”
“It’s only natural to be wary in an unfamiliar place.”
“Hah.”
I quickly pushed away Leo, who claimed to be wary, and moved next to the Tower Lord.
“Are you really planning to show that man all the way down to the basement?”
“Hmm? No. Not that far yet. The golems are on the third floor anyway. The basement... is mostly for biological experiments, so I don’t allow just anyone down there.”
“Aha.”
Fortunately, she didn't plan on taking him to the basement.
For a sensible person like Leo, the underground labs of the Magic Tower would be hard to stomach.
The smell of blood and the cries of beasts echoing from all directions created a terrifying atmosphere. He’d either lose his mind or try to report it to the City Guard, only to be torn apart by Malephina’s shadow. It would end in one of those two ways.
“Uh...? Lord Leo...?”
“Rien. It’s been a while.”
“Yes...”
As we were lighting the fireplace in the first-floor library to head up to the third floor, Rien teleported down from the second floor.
The Magic Tower didn't have proper stairs, so everyone had to move between floors in these strange ways.
“Um, Sion... where are you going...?”
“We’re going to look at golems.”
“G-golems...?”
Rien’s eyes sparkled. She clearly wanted to see them.
“Tower Lord Mabel, can we take Rien with us too?”
“Hmm. Fine, I don’t mind. The third floor is an open floor anyway. More importantly, that girl—what is her relationship with Leo?”
“They don’t have one. A friend of his sister? Something like that.”
“...His sister’s friend.”
The Tower Lord’s expression turned serious when I said she was his sister’s friend.
This woman had been showing interest in Leo for a while now. Don’t tell me....
“Um, Mabel.”
“What.”
“Are you... interested in Leo?”
“What? What are you talking about? I’m not interested at all, so don’t make baseless assumptions.”
“Yes, yes.”
She said no, but she definitely flinched.
Now that she was of marriageable age, she was really going for it.
Come to think of it, the first time we met, she had point-blank asked me if I had a woman.
She must really want to get married. Well, considering her age, it was understandable.
“Now, this is the golem workshop.”
“Oh...!”
“Wow... so many... huge golems...!”
“It really is impressive.”
There were rows upon rows of all kinds of golems.
Bespectacled nerd mages were manipulating the golems using magic stones, but their movements weren't very sophisticated.
Just as Mabel had said, their artificial intelligence seemed lacking.
“You’ve arrived, Tower Lord.”
“I’m planning to run a few experiments. Prepare the one with the best mobility.”
“Understood.”
A man who looked like he hadn't washed in three days nodded and brought out a golem made of pitch-black iron.
How should I put it? It looked exactly like a suit of armor from a fantasy game. It was completely different from the ugly, utility-focused armors I’d seen in the city.
It looked like a design that would result if engineers obsessed with powered armor or exosuits pushed their dreams to the limit.
The exterior was quite sleek, and the head—the face, so to speak—resembled a black wolf. It reminded me of a character from a manga I’d seen long ago.
It was a Black Iron Golem that looked like it would perfectly suit a massive, thick sword—one so heavy and solid it could slay a dragon.
“It’s beautiful...”
Before I knew it, Rien had approached the Black Iron Golem and was cautiously stroking its chest.
Her eyes were slightly glazed; she was completely smitten. At this rate, Rien might change her career path to golem crafting.
“Now then, let’s begin.”
“Yes.”
“Wait, begin what?”
“Just watch. I’m going to breathe a soul into this golem.”
“Breathe a soul into it?”
Leaving behind Leo, who looked at me as if wondering what on earth I was talking about, I approached the Black Iron Golem.
‘Get ready.’
—Yes. I’m ready. But can I really control that golem?
‘It’ll be possible. Fainel possessed a vine bean, didn't he? Why wouldn't a golem work?’
I took a deep breath, gripped Roy’s soul with my chains, and slowly pushed it into the golem.